The confrontation started after Grant called for police help one Saturday evening to report an argument between his daughter and a neighbor in the front yard. By the time officers arrived, the dispute was over.

Instead, police charged Grant with acting aggressively around his wife and other officers. The DA’s office described what happened:

“It was Mr. Grant who made the call to police in an attempt to prevent the verbal dispute from escalating further. He was not suspected as the perpetrator of any crime. When an officer entered the residence to assess the situation he eventually asked Mr. Grant to exit his home and speak to SPD Officer Paul Montalto. As he was walking out the door, Mr. Grant punched his screen door, causing the door to slam against the side of his house. Almost immediately following Mr. Grant’s action, the police decided to arrest for him Disorderly Conduct.

SPD Officer Damon Lockett reached for Mr. Grant and both parties went over the side of railing and fell to the ground. At this point, Officers Lockett and Montalto struck Mr. Grant about the face and head several times. Mr. Grant suffered injuries which required medical attention.

Both stories contain the police catch-all of “resisting arrest.” In the case of Mr. Hernandez, simply questioning why cops had to hurt his arm for an unprovoked arrest gave them permission to pummel Hernandez. In Mr. Grant’s case, punching his own door in frustration gave cops sanction to strike Grant in the face and head “several times” (and turn in an account that contradicted multiple witnesses).

And in both stories, the victims were minorities.

Unfortunately, the likely people to be held accountable for this lawlessness are innocent taxpayers.